Newton Abbot’s brand new museum opens for the first time on Saturday – and we’ve been to have a look inside.

Newton’s Place, the stunning £2.2 million museum and community hub, will also be the new home for the town council and will include community space, although coronavirus restrictions mean that the only museum will be open from Saturday.

The brand new museum is housed within Newton’s Place, which has taken shape in the former St Leonard’s Church, Wolborough Street, and with the first visitors are due to be greeted by curator Felicity Cole and her team on Saturday October 3.

Although entry will be free, Covid-19 restrictions require that all trips are booked in advance and numbers controlled, with bookings can be made via www.museum-newtonabbot.org.uk or by calling 01626 201121.

Among the treasures on display at the museum will be the prehistoric Milber Votives, tiny cast figures that may have been used in ritualistic ceremonies.

Museum Curator Felicity Cole said: ‘The museum is looking absolutely fantastic and we’ve some superb hands- on displays set in a rich and colourful environment which marries the heritage of St Leonard’s with an upbeat contemporary vibe.’

The £2.2m Newton’s Place project, led by Newton Abbot Town Council, aims to preserve the redundant Victorian Grade II-listed St Leonard’s Church building in Wolborough Street by converting it into a new museum, community hub and town council offices.

The project has come in within the budget and is at zero net cost to the tax payers of Newton Abbot.